Chapter 13 - The Last Offer
Robert Whitmore's estate sat behind iron gates overlooking the dark waters of Lake Geneva.
The property was famous in business magazines.
A limestone mansion.
A private dock.
Forty acres of manicured grounds.
A glass conservatory filled with rare orchids.
Daniel had grown up there.
He remembered summer mornings when his mother served breakfast outside.
He remembered his father working through holidays.
He remembered Nathan crying after Robert told him he would never be as successful as his older brother.
For most of his life, Daniel had believed the estate represented everything his father had accomplished.
Now it looked like the headquarters of a criminal empire.
Before leaving Chicago, Detective Ruiz connected Daniel with a federal prosecutor and a separate investigative team that had been examining the medical network for months.
The prosecutor, Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Morgan, reviewed the material recovered from St. Agnes.
She made one thing clear.
Daniel would not be allowed to conduct his own rescue operation.
He could help identify records and provide information.
He could speak to his father if investigators determined that doing so might help.
But he would not be permitted to endanger Catherine by confronting armed suspects alone.
Daniel hated every limitation.
He accepted them anyway.
Because Lily needed him alive.
At 9:42 that morning, Robert Whitmore called.
Daniel was sitting in a temporary police command room when the phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His father's name.
Morgan nodded for him to answer.
The call was recorded with Daniel's consent.
"Father."
"Daniel."
Robert's voice sounded exactly as it always had.
Controlled.
Impatient.
Untroubled.
"I understand you've caused quite a disturbance."
Daniel almost laughed.
"My wife is alive."
A pause.
"Yes."
Daniel closed his eyes.
Robert continued.
"That information should have reached you differently."
"Eleven months."
"Daniel—"
"Eleven months, you let me believe she was dead."
His father sighed.
"You've always been emotional when it comes to Catherine."
Daniel stared at the table.
"Where is she?"
"Safe."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"She's receiving appropriate care."
"She's being held against her will."
Robert's voice hardened.
"You don't understand the situation."
"Then help me."
Daniel glanced at Morgan.
She listened through an earpiece.
Robert continued.
"Your wife became involved in matters beyond her understanding."
"She found evidence of crimes."
"She found documents."
"Evidence."
"Documents can be interpreted many ways."
Daniel felt his anger rise.
"Not death certificates for people who are alive."
Silence.
Then Robert said, "You sound like your mother."
Daniel went still.
His mother had died of cancer ten years earlier.
She had spent the last months of her life trying to convince Robert to sell his interests in several medical companies.
Daniel remembered the arguments.
The closed doors.
The raised voices.
His mother had called the investments dangerous.
Robert accused her of interfering in business.
Daniel had assumed it was a marital dispute.
Now he wondered what she had known.
"Did Mom find out?"
Robert did not answer.
"Did she know what you were doing?"
"Your mother had a habit of misunderstanding financial arrangements."
Daniel's hands curled into fists.
"Was she right?"
A long silence followed.
Then Robert said, "I have a proposal."
Daniel looked toward Morgan.
She nodded for him to continue.
"What proposal?"
"You return to your proper responsibilities."
"Meaning?"
"You sign the restructuring agreement."
Daniel stared at the phone.
"And Catherine?"
"She returns home."
"My daughter?"
"Will remain with you."
"And Nathan?"
Robert sighed.
"Nathan has made mistakes."
Daniel almost laughed.
"Is that what you're calling kidnapping now?"
"Don't be dramatic."
"He kidnapped my daughter."
"That was not authorized."
Daniel felt a jolt.
"What?"
Robert's voice hardened.
"Martin acted outside his instructions."
Daniel looked toward Morgan.
She was writing something quickly.
Robert continued.
"There will be consequences."
Daniel took a breath.
"And Andrew Voss?"
"He has already been dealt with."
Daniel felt cold.
"What does that mean?"
"He's no longer relevant."
"Where is he?"
"Don't concern yourself."
Daniel looked at Morgan.
Her expression had sharpened.
Robert continued.
"Come to the estate."
Daniel said nothing.
"Alone."
"No."
"Daniel."
"I'll come with my attorney."
A pause.
Then Robert laughed softly.
"You're finally learning."
Daniel stared ahead.
"Where is Catherine?"
"She'll be here."
"Can I speak to her?"
"After you sign."
"Before."
His father sighed.
"Always negotiating."
Daniel's voice became very quiet.
"You taught me."
Robert was silent for a moment.
Then he said, "Eleven o'clock."
The call ended.
Morgan immediately turned toward the investigators.
"We need confirmation of Catherine's location before anyone moves."
An agent nodded.
"Working on it."
Daniel looked at her.
"He admitted she was alive."
"Yes."
"He admitted the restructuring agreement is connected to her return."
"Yes."
"Is that enough?"
"Enough to strengthen the case."
Daniel stood.
"Then let's get her."
Morgan shook her head.
"Not until we know the situation inside."
Daniel stared at her.
"He's my father."
"I understand."
"He thinks he can make this disappear."
"Then we make sure he can't."
She pointed toward the laptop.
"First, we need to examine Catherine's drive."
Daniel sat.
An investigator connected the device to an isolated forensic workstation.
A password prompt appeared.
Daniel stared at it.
Catherine had told Rebecca he would recognize the password.
He thought of their anniversary.
Lily's birthday.
Their first apartment.
The number fourteen.
None felt right.
Then he remembered something Catherine said when they first met.
They had been standing in the rain outside a Chicago bookstore.
Daniel had forgotten his umbrella.
Catherine offered to share hers.
He asked why she was helping a stranger.
She smiled.
"Because everybody deserves one safe place."
Years later, she repeated the phrase whenever Lily climbed into their bed after a nightmare.
One safe place.
Daniel typed it without spaces.
The drive unlocked.
On the screen appeared three folders.
LEDGER.
RECORDINGS.
IF I DON'T COME HOME.
Daniel stared at the last one.
Morgan looked toward him.
"Would you like a moment?"
Daniel shook his head.
"Open it."
The folder contained a video.
Catherine sat in a small room beneath harsh overhead lighting.
She wore a gray sweater.
Her face was tired.
But her voice was steady.
"Daniel."
He felt his chest tighten.
"If you're seeing this, then I didn't get home the way I planned."
She swallowed.
"I need you to know that I love you."
Daniel lowered his head.
"I never stopped."
Catherine looked directly into the camera.
"I made terrible mistakes."
"I believed people who wanted to destroy us."
"I let fear make decisions I should have made with you."
Tears filled Daniel's eyes.
"But I need you to understand something."
Her expression hardened.
"This was never just about money."
Daniel leaned closer.
"The medical network has been selling false identities and using real patients as cover for financial crimes."
She paused.
"Some of those patients disappeared."
Morgan became very still.
Catherine continued.
"I found evidence that several children reported dead were placed through illegal private adoption arrangements decades ago."
"Some of the names were later used to create fraudulent medical accounts."
She took a breath.
"Robert Whitmore knew."
Daniel closed his eyes.
"Nathan knew enough to help."
"And Andrew Voss helped keep the records hidden."
Catherine leaned closer.
"Daniel, the original authorization ledger contains their signatures."
She looked toward something outside the frame.
Then back at the camera.
"But there's one thing they don't know."
A small smile appeared.
"I made a second copy."
Daniel stared.
Catherine continued.
"I left it somewhere they would never think to look."
She looked directly into the lens.
"In the one place where you always said our family belonged."
Daniel felt his pulse quicken.
Catherine whispered, "Not the mansion."
She smiled sadly.
"Home."
The video ended.
Daniel sat completely still.
Morgan watched him.
"Do you know what she means?"
Daniel thought of the mansion.
The apartment where they first lived.
The small cottage they rented after Lily was born.
Then he remembered.
Catherine had always hated calling the estate home.
She said it was too large.
Too cold.
Too full of people who worked for them.
Their real home, she insisted, was the little brick house they had bought before Daniel inherited his controlling shares.
He had sold it years ago.
Or thought he had.
Daniel looked up.
"Yes."
Morgan leaned forward.
"Where?"
Daniel swallowed.
"Lincoln Park."
He gave her the address.
An investigator began searching the property records.
Seconds later, he frowned.
"Mr. Whitmore?"
Daniel looked over.
"The house was never sold."
Daniel stared at him.
"What?"
"It's held by a private trust."
"Which trust?"
The investigator read the name.
"Fourteen Seconds LLC."
Daniel closed his eyes.
Catherine.
She had kept their first real home.
And hidden the evidence there.
Morgan looked at the screen.
"Send a team."
An agent left the room.
Then Morgan's phone rang.
She listened for several seconds.
Her expression changed.
"Repeat that."
Daniel stood.
"What happened?"
Morgan looked toward him.
"We've confirmed Andrew Voss was at the estate."
"And?"
"He's been found dead."
Daniel felt cold.
Morgan continued.
"Authorities are treating the death as suspicious."
"Where's Catherine?"
The prosecutor hesitated.
"We don't know."
Daniel stared at her.
Then another agent entered.
"Ma'am, we have movement at the west gate."
Morgan turned.
"What movement?"
"A vehicle just left the estate."
"Occupants?"
"Two visible."
"Description?"
"Female passenger."
Daniel held his breath.
The agent continued.
"Matches Catherine Whitmore."
Daniel stepped forward.
"Where are they going?"
The agent looked at him.
"Toward Chicago."
Daniel felt his heart pound.
"Who's driving?"
May you like
The agent hesitated.
"Nathan Whitmore."
